Nutcracker



Feb. 6, 1962 Filed Sept. 26, 1960 J. R. PAVA NUTCRACKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1146K R. PHI/17 ATTORNEYS J- R. PAVA NUTCRACKER Feb. 6, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1960 INVENTOR. JqcKR. Bwn

BY 1M ATTORNEYS rates 3,019,828 NUTCRACKEP. Jack R. iava, Santa Barbara, Calif. Filed Sept. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 58,496 2 Claims. (Cl. 146-14) This invention has to do with nutcrackers.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel, attractive and improved nutcracker of unique construction.

A further object is to provide an ornamental nutcracker adapted to hold a variety of nuts in a manner which makes it easy for a person to select desired nuts therefrom, together with means for cracking the shells of the selected nuts and receptacle means for holding the discarded shells.

1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the device.

More particularly describing the invention, 11 generally designates-a base which is shown as having a wood body 12 fitted with a felt or other suitable sheet 13 across the bottom. The base is appropriately shaped, as best shown in FIG. 1, with generally rounded sides 14, the base as a whole being circular. The base supports a centrally mounted spindle 15 which is secured to the upper surface 16 of the base by screws 17 extending through a flange 18 on the spindle. Additionally, a central screw 20 is shown extending through the base and threaded into the lower end of the spindle. The surface 16 of the base is bounded by a circular flange 22 and this forms a recess for partially receiving a bearing 24 of the ball-bearing type. Mounted on the spindle andv resting upon the bearing is a wire bowl-supporting frame 25 which includes two disks 26 between which radially extending wire or rod frame elements 27 are mounted, the parts being welded, brazed or otherwise secured together in any desired manner. Each of the wire sections 2.7 is joined to a circular wire section 28 and this, in turn, is connected atet ice

Q crosspin 34. Preferably, the lower end of part 3 9 is notched at 39' to receive the pin34 and thus prevent relative rotation between the bowl assembly 36 and the base 11.

The nut-cracking means itself includes the frame 40 which provides a stationary lower jaw or anvil and a movable jaw directly thereabove, designated 46. The latter is formed upon the lower end of a rack 48 which is mounted for movement in a tubular section 49 of the frame. The frame also rotatably supports a pinion 51 which meshes with the rack and a short shaft 52 to which the pinion is fixed. I The latter has a fixedly mounted Y handle 54.

A deflector or shield 55 extends laterally from the frame 40 in the region opposite the stationary jaw 45 to prevent fragments of cracked nuts from flying beyond the confines of the bowl 37 in'the direction of the shield.

In the operation of the device, any selection of nuts can be carried in the various bowls 32, which are conveniently rotatable as a whole. A nut to be cracked is placed upon the stationary jaw 45 and the handle 54 operated to lower the movable jaw 46 into engagement with the nut, and the application of the right amount of pressure results in the shell being cracked without injuring the meat. The shells are received in the bowl 37.

Although I have illustrated and described preferred forms of my invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a nutcracker device, a base, a spindle projecting upwardly from the base, a bowl-supporting frame mounted for rotation on said spindle and providing a plurality of circular bowl-supporting portions arranged in circumferentially spaced relation, antifriction bearing means between said base and said frame, a support on said spindle above said frame, a main bowl resting on said support, and nut-cracking means carried by said bowl, said main bowl and said nut-cracking means being removable as a unit from said spindle.

2. In a nutcracker device, a base, a spindle projecting upwardly from the base, a wire frame mounted for rotation on said spindle and providing a plurality of circular to each of the other sections 28 by laterally extending V bridging wire sections 30.

The wire frame 25 thus serves as a rotatable device for supporting a plurality of bowls or dishes, designated 32', which rest upon each of the circular frames 28. Such bowls are preferably shaped to fit partially into the frame section 28, as shown.

Above the frame 25 I provide a crosspin 34 through the spindle and this serves to support an upper bowl assembly, designated 36. The latter includes a bowl 37 of wood or any suitable material which is centrally apertured at 38 to receive a hollow, partially threaded mounting stem 39 of a generally C-shaped frame 40. The parts are secured by a nut 41 below the bottom of the bowl and a washer or the like 42 between the upper surface of the bottom of the bowl and a flange 43 on member 40. The spindle 15 is received in the bore 44 provided in frame 40.

It will be apparent that the entire assembly 36 may be placed upon the spindle 15 and will then rest upon the bowl-supporting portions arranged in circumferentially spaced relation, antifriction bearing means between said base and said frame, a support on said spindle above said frame, a main bowl mounted on said spindle and resting on said support, a C-type frame member mounted in said bowl and providing a stationary jaw directly over said spindle, said C-type frame receiving the upper end portion of said spindle, and rack and pinion means carried by said C-type frame including a handle on the pinion and a jaw on the rack opposite said stationary jaw, said main bowl and said C-type frame member being removable as a 'unit from said spindle.

References (fited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,259 Huberth July 12,1910 1,108,920 May ...2 Sept. 1, 1914 2,534,554 Kahre Dec. 19, 1950 2,553,942 Roos May 22, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,059 Italy Dec. 5, 1927 

